Charles Hendry: In advance of the forthcoming Energy Council in Brussels on 31 May, I am writing to you to outline the agenda items to be discussed. I will represent the UK.
	The first item on the agenda is a progress report from the presidency about negotiations with the European Parliament on the proposal for a regulation on security of gas supply. We understand that the presidency aims to reach a first reading deal with the European Parliament by the end of June. The UK has worked very closely with the presidency, Commission and other like-minded member states and is pleased with the progress made so far.
	There will then be an exchange of views on the energy aspects of the Europe 2020 growth strategy where member states are expected to seek clarity on the process for monitoring performance towards energy efficiency targets, in preparation for a wider discussion of the strategy at the June European Council.
	This will be followed by a debate on the EU's future energy policy as a contribution to the development of the energy strategy for Europe 2011-2020. Discussion will focus on the Commission's "stock-taking" document. Ministers will also be asked to adopt conclusions on the document. The UK is content with the text of the conclusions, which set out high-level principles for the new energy strategy.
	The Commission and presidency will update the Council on a number of international items: the EU-US Energy Council, EU-OPEC, the 12th International Energy Forum, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, the Energy Community Treaty and Russia/Ukraine. Finally, the Commission will present reports on the implementation of the European energy programme for recovery; the trans-European energy networks in the period 2007-09; and the Baltic energy market interconnection plan.

Nick Herbert: As part of the Government's plan to cut the budget deficit and get the economy moving again, I am today confirming my intention to require the police to make a fair share of the savings needed. I welcome the responsible and constructive way in which policing partners have already responded to the Chancellor's announcement of his plans to reduce the national budget deficit.
	Total Home Office cuts will be £367 million and in order to minimise the impact on the police service the Home Office will cut a greater than proportionate share of its central budget by bearing down on overheads and reducing waste, including significant cuts to consultancy services, marketing costs and travel. However, the police need to contribute towards the overall reduction and I will therefore ask every police authority to make a fair share of savings.
	As a result, I intend to reduce this year's core Government funding to the police by a total of £125 million. I intend to implement this by reducing the Home Office core police settlement and the capital grant. I will, in due course, formally lay before Parliament an amended police grant report for 2010-11 which will be subject to the usual debate and approval process.
	Even after this reduction, Government funding to the police will still increase by £124 million this year to around £9.61 billion. Set out below are updated force allocations for the individual grants which I intend to revise. These have been calculated so that each force will face a cut equivalent to the same percentage of their core Government funding.
	I am confident that savings of less than 1% of expected spending in 2010-11 by Police Authorities can be made while maintaining a frontline policing service. It is for chief constables to use their expertise and decide what makes most sense for their force, but I am quite clear that this saving can be achieved by driving out wasteful spending on support functions, reducing bureaucracy and increasing efficiency in key functions-leaving the frontline of policing strong and secure. I expect forces to be held to this by both police authorities and Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary.
	For my part, I am clear that the police should be focused on police work, not paperwork. This is why I am committed to cutting the centrally imposed red tape and bureaucracy that slows police officers down and keeps them off the streets and away from protecting the public.
	The Government have shown their commitment to the police service by undertaking to honour the third year of the current pay settlement for police officers. Our programme for Government has set out measures to ensure a sustainable frontline police service, including a full review of the remuneration and conditions of service for police officers and staff. We also commit in our programme for Government to establishing an independent commission to review the long-term affordability of public sector pensions, while protecting accrued rights. The Government are determined to ensure that we can provide affordable pensions to public servants into the future.
	The spending review reporting in the autumn of this year will set funding levels beyond 2010-11.
	
		
			 Proposed New Allocations of the Home Office Core Police Settlement by Force, Subject to Parliamentary Approval,  and Revised Allocations of Capital Grant. 
			 Police Authority 2010-11 2010-11 2010-11 2010-11 
			  HO Police Grant as Agreed February 2010 Proposed Amended HO Police Grant Capital Grant as Notified January 2010 Amended Capital Grant 
			  £m £m £m £m 
			 English ShireAuthorities 
			 Avon & Somerset 116.1 113.5 3.3 3.0 
			 Bedfordshire 44.6 43.6 1.3 1.2 
			 Cambridgeshire 52.9 51.7 1.6 1.5 
			 Cheshire 69.9 68.2 2.2 2.0 
			 Cleveland 51.6 50.3 1.6 1.5 
			 Cumbria 35.1 34.1 1.1 1.0 
			 Derbyshire 69.6 68.0 2.0 1.9 
			 Devon & Cornwall 117.0 114.4 3.4 3.2 
			 Dorset 43.5 42.6 1.3 1.2 
			 Durham 47.8 46.5 1.6 1.4 
			 Essex 117.5 114.9 3.2 3.0 
			 Gloucestershire 37.8 36.9 1.2 1.1 
			 Hampshire 130.7 127.8 3.9 3.6 
			 Hertfordshire 81.3 79.5 2.3 2.1 
			 Humberside 72.7 70.9 2.2 2.0 
			 Kent 123.4 120.7 3.5 3.3 
			 Lancashire 116.8 113.9 3.5 3.2 
			 Leicestershire 70.5 68.8 2.1 2.0 
			 Lincolnshire 44.0 43.1 1.2 1.1 
			 Norfolk 55.6 54.3 1.7 1.6 
			 North Yorkshire 49.1 48.0 1.5 1.4 
			 Northamptonshire 47.0 45.9 1.4 1.3 
			 Nottinghamshire 82.7 80.7 2.4 2.2 
			 Staffordshire 73.2 71.5 2.1 2.0 
			 Suffolk 45.5 44.5 1.4 1.3 
			 Surrey 71.5 70.1 2.3 2.1 
			 Sussex 107.6 105.2 3.1 2.9 
			 Thames Valley 157.0 153.6 4.6 4.3 
			 Warwickshire 35.1 34.4 1.5 1.5 
			 West Mercia 74.7 73.0 2.3 2.1 
			 Wiltshire 42.1 41.1 1.3 1.2 
			 Shires Total 2,283.8 2,231.7 67.6 63.1 
			 English Metropolitan Authorities 
			 Greater Manchester 253.2 246.8 7.4 6.9 
			 Merseyside 142.2 138.4 4.2 3.9 
			 Northumbria 117.4 113.9 4.1 3.8 
			 South Yorkshire 110.2 107.4 3.3 3.1 
			 West Midlands 277.4 270.5 7.9 7.3 
			 West Yorkshire 194.0 189.2 5.6 5.2 
			 Mets Total 1,094.4 1,066.1 32.6 30.1 
			 London Authorities 
			 GLA - Police 1,169.5 1,141.5 38.4 36.0 
			 City of London 23.3 22.3 1.1 1.0 
			 English Total 4,571.0 4,461.6 139.8 130.3 
			 Welsh Authorities 
			 Dyfed-Powys 35.2 34.4 1.0 0.9 
			 Gwent 48.6 47.5 1.4 1.3 
			 North Wales 48.5 47.4 1.5 1.4 
			 South Wales 105.5 102.9 3.0 2.8 
			 Welsh total 237.8 232.2 6.9 6.4 
			 Total 4,808.8 4,693.8 146.7 136.7 
			 Note: All allocations rounded to the nearest £0.1million. 
		
	
	Counter-terrorism Policing
	In addition to the reduction in core government funding to the police set out above, I intend to reduce resource funding for counter-terrorism policing by £10 million in 2010-11. The Government will nonetheless still be providing £569 million to forces through police counter-terrorism specific grants this year, maintaining 2009-10 funding levels.
	Counter-terrorism policing has benefited from 10 consecutive years of significant growth in funding. I will be taking advice from the police on the most appropriate way to find these savings to ensure that the police service retains the necessary capabilities to counter-terrorist activity and support our national security.